Claim OwnershipNavigating Sports Business
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Gain exclusive insight into the professional and personal worlds of high-level executives in sports and entertainment as we host top decision-makers in the industry to discuss emerging topics, their business, careers, and personal life stories.
From collegiate conference commissioners to professional sports team executives and owners, to CMOs and leading marketers at global brands, Navigating Sports Business takes listeners inside the lives of key people making a major impact on the sports and entertainment industry.
From collegiate conference commissioners to professional sports team executives and owners, to CMOs and leading marketers at global brands, Navigating Sports Business takes listeners inside the lives of key people making a major impact on the sports and entertainment industry.
253 Episodes
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Less than 2 weeks ago, AJ Maestas and Charles Rolston broke down the news of a looming $2B deal for the Big Ten to take a massive infusion of cash from private capital. A lot has happened since then, with the news that the conference will be closing a deal with an investment fund of the University of California pension system and establishing Big Ten Enterprises with the goal of optimizing conference-wide revenue. What does this mean for schools, athletes, and fans? What are the low-hanging fruit assets that this new venture will look to monetize? Hear AJ's thoughts, or go back and listen to the full episode: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=53bbf14fbeabdd0f3890e0eb8b8c083f For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Drew Weatherford - Founding Partner of Weatherford Capital - discusses the role of private equity in college sports, including a less-discussed opportunity to invest in club sports. The episode was recorded prior to the news of the Big Ten exploring a $2B private equity deal. You can hear AJ Maestas and Charles Rolston break that down in a bonus episode, here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=53bbf14fbeabdd0f3890e0eb8b8c083f Timestamps: 2:00 - Drew’s FSU Background 19:25 - Pro sports people running athletic departments 25:00 - Private equity in college sports 31:05 - IMG Academy/Investing in Club Sports 37:00 - What is an athletic department worth? For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
The Big Ten is exploring $2B in private funding. In this episode, AJ Maestas, Founder of Navigate, sits down with Charles Rolston, Navigate's collegiate consulting expert, to break down what this means for the conference, the schools, and the entire college sports space. Will the deal actually close? How do Ohio State and Michigan factor in? Do 20-year plans make sense in collegiate athletics? What does ROI look like for this kind of deal? AJ and Charles draw on their experience advising clients through private equity negotiations, realignment, and other transformational moments across college and pro sports. For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Haley Rosen – Founder & CEO of Just Women’s Sports – explains the relationship between athletes and the media. She is able to draw on her experience as an athlete and the friction she felt before ultimately launching a media platform of her own. She sees the role of Just Women's Sports as building the fan base and ecosystem that will let women's sports continue to grow and thrive. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=008cfa2935a6703a02583dc6d3437d13 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Haley Rosen - Founder & CEO of Just Women's Sports - is no stranger to discussing trends in sports business, which is why she's such a great fit for our show. She offers an interesting perspective on the WNBA labor situation, the coverage of women's sports on traditional media platforms, and why she believes that women's sports will one day surpass men's sports in total popularity. Timestamps: 2:00 - Origins of Just Women’s Sports 8:00 - Making content appeal to multiple generations 10:15 - Haley’s background as an athlete 25:00 - What’s next for women’s sports? 32:00 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Pat Dimon – Head of Front Office Sports Studios and Owner of A Frame Productions – shares the secret to a good sports docuseries. Many of our clients on the property side have raised questions about how to optimize non-live content in a crowded ecosystem where everyone is trying to make the next Drive to Survive. Pat is the creator of Full Swing, and shares his tips to getting it right. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=1d7a16f12c31e434724e556fabd0b59c For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Tim Zulawski – President of AMB Sports & Entertainment – on the fan-friendly concessions strategy at Mercedez-Benz stadium and how it leads to higher fan satisfaction, increased merchandise sales, and creates "super advocates" for the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, and the stadium itself. As they prepare to host major events like the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, and Final Four, their concession prices will not change. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=8414c1e30131e9e15dd33a38c05e3c4d For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Amber Cox – COO & GM of the Indiana Fever – on new WNBA fans buying season tickets or becoming passionate about the league after giving it a chance for the first time. Often, their first exposure comes from attending a game or tuning in to watch stars like Caitlin Clark. She calls Caitlin Clark the "ultimate multiplier effect" for the WNBA, in amplifying the momentum that has been building for the a long time. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=390463d02dd14920ffbf164c4fb756f5 Amber's quote is very similar to Vince Kozar's POV on the WNBA easily retaining around once they give the league a chance, which he shared earlier this year on our show. For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Navigating Sports Media: Pat Dimon - Head of Front Office Sports Studios and Owner of A Frame Productions - is one of the biggest names in the sports docuseries space. He joins Umar Hussain to discuss the the new joint venture with Front Office Sports, and why some sports docs cut through the clutter while others miss the mark. He also gives his thoughts on where rightsholders should be investing in non-live content to help grow their brands. Timestamps: 2:10 - Pat's background 5:35 - Why certain sports doc series work and others don't 8:45 - Full Swing 21:30 - Role Playing Exercise: Where should you invest resources in non-live content? 31:00 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
"If all progress in AI stopped tomorrow, it would still take five to 10 years for what we've got now to diffuse through the market." Bruce Bassett - internationally renowned computer science expert & embedded AI strategist at Navigate - on the importance of building an AI-native culture within your organizations. It's not enough to chase the newest tools, or to build a custom AI agent. If the pace of improvement continues to be exponential, then you'll have to integrate AI into everything that you do. The core question: how long do we expect AI improvement to maintain its current exponential trajectory? Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=c460dd05805825a94c1cba9a4201a65e For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Amber Cox - COO & GM of the Indiana Fever - stepped into her role at the dawn of the Caitlin Clark era - a moment that’s fueled unprecedented growth for both the Fever and the WNBA. But as Amber shares, that surge didn’t start with Caitlin; her arrival simply created a powerful “multiplier effect” on momentum that was already building. Timestamps: 2:10 - Amber’s career in the WNBA 9:10 - Joining the Fever as Caitlin Clark is drafted 15:45 - Caitlin Clark’s multiplier effect 23:20 - Asking players to participate in marketing content 26:00 - Managing 2 roles (COO & GM) 28:20 - The attention on Caitlin Clark 33:05 - The facilities arms race in the WNBA 37:10 - Collaborating with the Pacers 46:50 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
"This is a business where you can lose having a superior product" Robert Davari – CEO and Founder of Tixr – on the challenges of raising money in the crowded ticketing space. Investors are looking for emerging technologies, particularly in AI, and don't often have the patience to support a challenger brand like Tixr. As an entrepreneur, Robert has always preferred bootstrapping his businesses and building slowly with a focus on creating the best possible product. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=d128b48b527134dadc3b2f4bafce4225 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Bruce Bassett is the Founder of Grai Labs, embedded AI strategist with Navigate, and is one the world's leading experts on Artificial Intelligence. With decades of experience in academia and practical AI applications, he applies his knowledge and beliefs to the sports industry, and gives tips for staying afloat in a tidal wave of AI innovation. Details: 2:00 - AI in the Sports Industry 6:15 - What should you be doing right now with AI? 22:30 - Revolutionary tech beyond AI 25:40 - Rapid Fire Questions Notes: Bruce's favorite depiction of AI in fiction: Robot & Frank For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
"Every Red Sox or every Bruins game is a theatrical hit." Ahmed Darwish - Chief Marketing Officer at NESN - explains the importance of making games accessible to fans, and how NESN's continuity helps fans have a reliable options for watching their favorites teams. Despite streaming reshaping the industry and new players emerging, sports continue to hold strong media value. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=26384a6a11beff0e3a5a84278a24a4f1 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Jared Orton – President of the Savannah Bananas – on the origins of the Bananaland at Sea fan cruise, which the team is bringing back for another voyage in 2026. The Savannah Bananas are known for providing the very best in fan engagement, and the creativity and detailed planning that went into the fan cruise are the perfect example. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=fc87122340fbf55d3eccd66e0094711a For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
"I believe in my alma mater LSU more than anybody will ever know" Scott Woodward – Athletics Director at LSU – on his approach to coach hiring, and swinging for the fences to secure the very best available. No matter how well an AD operates on the business side, they are still judged by noteworthy hires they make. That's why alignment with your institution and stakeholders is key. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=73ba4b4bc47497339d91f6283bee4e37 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Robert Davari - CEO and Founder of Tixr - on how they are disrupting an industry by focusing on optimization, design, and building a better ticketing and ecommerce product. Tixr recently announced its partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes, the first "big 5" team on their roster. Timestamps: 1:40 - Tixr’s origins 8:50 - Ticketing technology 12:05 - San Jose Earthquakes Partnership 15:35 - Patience when building a company 20:05 - Competing with legacy players 24:10 - Secondary Ticketing 28:30 - Tixr Brands 31:00 - Rapid Fire Questions For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Vince Kozar – President of the Phoenix Mercury – talks about how they have no trouble retaining fans who watch a game live or on TV. Whether those fans initially come to see Caitlin Clark, a rival team, or are just skipping channels, once they see what the Mercury have to offer, they stick around. He also talks about the broader mission of the organization and the work they are doing to increase sports participation among girls. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=779772e3b0843d82ff3d8ec6893b292f For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Navigating Sports Media: Ahmed Darwish - CMO at NESN - leads marketing for one of the most well-known and successful RSNs in the country. As business models shift across media, they are finding ways to reach more fans, including their DTC platform, NESN 360. He also shares trends and predictions for NESN, for baseball, and for sports media in general. Timestamps: 4:00 - DTC and Distribution 14:00 - Having multiple teams on the platform 16:15 - Marketing tactics 22:05 - Baseball predictions 26:15 - Ahmed’s career path 37:30 - Rapid Fire Questions Book Recommendation: The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Nic Barlage – CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rock Entertainment Group – explains his strategy of pivoting more towards single-game tickets, despite most teams focusing on season ticket packages. Capping season tickets has helped the Cavs jump into the top third of the NBA in gate revenue. He also discusses the Cavs Reward program and what makes it more effective than other loyalty programs in sports. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=72489191733141b7fb29046bc253b7f3 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
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